TUESDAY, 7:10pm: Snyder will earn $750K in 2012 with $350K of it being guaranteed, reports ESPN's Jerry Crasnick (all Twitter links). He can earn an additional $1.75MM in bonuses, and the mutual option for 2013 is worth $4MM with a $500K buyout.
FRIDAY, 11:13am: The Astros announced that they signed catcher Chris Snyder to a one-year deal that includes a mutual option for 2013. LSW Baseball represents the eight-year veteran.
Snyder spent much of the 2011 season on the 60-day disabled list with lower back tightness. The 30-year-old posted a .271/.376/.396 line in 119 plate appearances when healthy, but the Pirates declined their option on him after the season. Snyder, who joins Jason Castro and Humberto Quintero on Houston's roster, owns a .231/.333/.394 career line.
See ya Q
I like this signing!
Let’s hope he isn’t the victim of any more road rage incidents now that he’s back in houston. Anyway, I doubt this is the end for Q. Mills mentioned he wanted a versatile third catcher last season. Snyder has some history at 1b if I remember correctly. Castro’s durability remains a big question mark.
Snyder is the epitome of damaged goods. Anyone else remember the fractured testicle incident? Poor guy…
I like this signing. If he has a bounce back healthy season, he could be moved at the deadline for prospects
I agree 100% Bricktops
.376 OBP? Of course that won’t hold up over an extended amount of at-bats, but not a bad signing.
look out al west its synder time
I don’t think this is a bad signing at all. He can play good defense and has always been able to hit for power out of the catcher position. Last year’s offensive numbers were a huge outlier though, but it would have been interesting to see what he would have finished with had he stayed healthy.
Great signing for Houston.
Wonder how much they signed him for? 1 mil + option?
There is obviously somebody new in the front office. This signing makes sense! Onward and upward…
I wish he would have been able to play more for the Pirates, I liked him catching a lot more than anybody else they had.
Good signing. With Lowrie and Snyder we have signifcantly increased our offensive output from C and SS. Then again, most anything is an upgrade over Barmes and Q.
Whooooooose house?
Give me a U!
Coog comes home!
I’m not an Astros fan, but I’m pretty impressed at the solid team they are building. I can’t wait to see what they do this year with the team they are assembling. Cust might be the only ugh, but other than that, looking good.
Good signing. With Lowrie and Snyder added to the lineup, that plugs the two holes that I thought they had. My predicted starting lineup: JD Martinez in LF, Jordan Schafer in CF, Brian Bogusevic in RF, Carlos Lee IB, Jose Altuve 2B, Jimmy Paredes 3B, Jed Lowrie SS and Chris Snyder C. I like the lineup. It is young, with exception of Lee, with pretty good upside.
Luhnow has said that Castro’s recovery from foot surgery is progressing well, and they don’t have plans to replace Castro as the starter. He says the Snyder signing is for depth, and added that he’s very respected in the clubhouse as well as providing major league offensive and defensive value.
I think if Snyder is healthy, he is at this point in his career a better overall catcher than Castro. Castro could really use another year in AAA to improve his hitting.
I agree, but it sounds like Luhnow doesn’t think so. Or doesn’t want to say so at this point.
I think Luhnow is simply giving Castro the benefit of the doubt and calling him the starter. My prediction is Snyder will start with Quintero backing him up, with Castro slated to start or at least make the team as a backup in 2013 unless Snyder has a great year, at which point the option gets exercised.
Wait, 750K? Why didn’t the Pirates just re-sign him? I’d like him more than Barajas.
It may have been a hometown discount.
agreed on (a healthy) Snyder > Barajas, but don’t forget that Snyder’s wife was accosted by a road-raged idiot last year in Pittsburgh. while a good samaritan intervened before any real harm was done, I couldn’t blame Snyder for wanting to play elsewhere.